The Los Angeles Times and CNN to Co-Host Presidential Debate

LOS ANGELES, June 9, 2003 – CNN and The Los Angeles Times announced today they will co-host a debate among the Democratic presidential candidates on Feb. 26, 2004.

This debate will precede the March 2 presidential primary when at least 11 states, including California, New York, Maryland and Massachusetts have scheduled their votes. The debate will be held in Los Angeles at The Los Angeles Times and will be broadcast live by CNN.

“We’re very pleased to host this debate as a service to our readers and other voters in California and across the nation,” said John Puerner, publisher, Los Angeles Times. “We expect that the debate will be one of the most interesting political events of the year.”

“The CNN-LA Times Presidential Debate has become an important stop on the road to the White House," said Tom Hannon, political director of CNN Newsgroup. “As part of our role as the country’s campaign headquarters, we’re proud to once again televise this event, and pleased to collaborate with our esteemed colleagues at the Los Angeles Times.”The Los Angeles Times, a Tribune Publishing company, is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country and winner of 30 Pulitzer Prizes, including three this year in national reporting, feature writing and feature photography. The Times publishes five regional editions covering the Los Angeles metropolitan area, Orange and Ventura counties, the San Fernando Valley, and an Inland Empire edition covering Riverside and San Bernardino counties, as well as a National edition.

CNN, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., an AOLTime Warner Company, is one of the world’s most respected and trusted sources for news and information. Its reach extends to 16 cable and satellite television networks; two private place-based networks; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; 12 Web sites, including CNN.com, the first major news and information Web site; and CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service.